Rhyme 8

~ Gracie The Woman ~

Gracie the woman or Grace as most of her friends called her. In between she created the many faceted diamond when fired, laughing and loving, practical and proper, noisy and nervous, innocent and inspired.

~ One Enchanted Evening ~

In February 1933 Gracie made her record breaking four millionth recording for HMV a party was given to celebrate, traditional food is what they ate. Lancashire hotpot, red cabbage and broth, set on a cotton tablecloth. The waitress wore clogs and shawl, an enchanted evening enjoyed by all.

Gracie at the HMV factory pressing her 4 millionth record.
Gracie was the first star ever to sell 4 million records.
© Rochdale Museum Services.

After the factory visit there was a traditional Lancashire tea
served at the Trocodero Resturant in London, where Gracie
had invited many old friends from Rochdale.

Signing records for the waitresses -
these real 78rpm records were used as place mats.

The tables themselves were fashioned as giant 78 records.
The one in the Rochdale Museum's collection came from Gracie
herself - who had it on display at her Peacehaven home for many years.

Feb 14th 1933: 'The Lunch' at the Trocadero Resturant London. Gracie's records had kept 120 people employed at the HMV factory
in Middlesex . The place-mats were records on which Gracie had recorded a specially composed song 'A musical Menu' in which she introduced all the courses of the lunch: broth, fish and chips,
hot pot, apple pudding, strong tea and ale straight from the jug.

~ To Honour Her Name ~

A ship was named after Gracie a paddle steamer she launched in 1936 sadly during the war it was lost at sea, flowers also bore her name a deep yellow rose and a delicate sweet pea. Most people remember Charlie Gardner and his horse Gracie on their round delivering beer, the Publicans and customers gave a rousing cheer. Our Gracie was unique in every way with many varied parts to play.

~ A Magic Moment ~

When Gracie launched her ship she was presented with a brooch shaped like a flag incorporating the four gems, sapphire, emerald, ruby and pearl. Blue to mast, green to fly, red on deck and white on high. Shortly after the launching of her ship she took the children from her orphanage for a trip. Having also received an inscribed lifebelt, a silver christening mug, an ornamental clog and a huge bunch of red roses. Gracie led the crowd in 'Sing As We Go' when her namesake sailed away, concluding a most momentous day.

Gracie launches the 'Gracie Fields' at Southampton in 1936

Gracie disembarks after the first voyage on which she took
all the children of her orphanage on a trip along the South Coast

Prams, the most important cargo, were carefully secured on deck.

The SS Gracie Fields - the paddle steamer was used many times
for pleasure trips for the children from Gracie's orphanage
which she founded at Peacehaven, Sussex in 1933.
Sadly SS Gracie Fields was sunk by a Nazi bomb
at Dunkirk in 1940 whilst evacuating wounded servicemen.

~ The Right Choice ~

Gracie described as a pure operatic soprano had little money to train, by the time she became rich training would be in vain. Her chosen career well and truly set impossible to alter, blending 'The Holy City' with Fred Fannakapan and Walter!. There were dozens of opera stars singing the same arias and taking the same part, Gracie was a speciality no one could master her art.

~ The Show Goes On ~

Outside the star dressing room a group were waiting for admission when the manager said "Don't go in yet Gracie is upset". They all moved away May Snowdon following last, this unexpected announcement left her aghast. Suddenly the door opened an emotional Gracie stood there, May held her hand until they reached the top stair, then she hurried to her seat firmly convinced she would not appear, having so recently shed a tear. The curtain rose Gracie took to the stage as calm as can be, singing her songs so delightfully. No sign of emotion no trace of tears those two intruders had gone, defeated by a grand old motto 'The Show Goes On'.